Governor Perdue Consolidates Government Services in Douglasville

Governor Perdue Consolidates Government Services in Douglasville

DHR, DOC and Parole Serve as “One Stop Shop” for Douglas County Citizens

ATLANTA — Today Governor Sonny Perdue participated in the dedication ceremony of the new Douglasville Human Services Center, a consolidated “one stop shop” of government services housing local offices of the Department of Human Resources (child support recovery and DFCS), State Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Department of Corrections (probation). Consolidating the services within the same building is expected to save taxpayers $150,000 in rent and building maintenance costs per year. Consolidating state agencies’ leases was a recommendation of the Commission for a New Georgia Space Management Task Force.

“The Douglasville Human Services Center is a tangible example of streamlining state government,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “The citizens of Georgia can be confident that we’re using tax dollars in the most efficient manner possible.”

According to the Commission for a New Georgia, the plan to consolidate state government leases could potentially save between $275 and $875 million over 10 years.

The Douglasville complex will accommodate nearly 130 Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) caseworkers, more than doubling the space occupied by the previous facility. “This new facility will enable DHR to enhance the quality of service provided to clients, while providing caseworkers with an efficient office environment for managing their caseloads,” said DHR Commissioner B.J. Walker.

The Department of Corrections supervises approximately 4,000 offenders in Douglasville who are under court-ordered supervision. “We have a team of 24 probation officers who understand our mission and are dedicated to effective supervision of felony offenders in Douglas County,” said Corrections Commissioner James Donald. “We support Governor Perdue’s commitment to make state government more accessible to all Georgians as we are witnessing today in Douglas County.”

Parole officers at the Douglasville Parole Office supervise 467 parolees residing in Douglas, Haralson and Paulding Counties. “The Parole Board is pleased to support Governor Perdue in his initiative to make state government more effective and efficient for the citizens of Georgia,” said Parole Board Chairman Garland R. Hunt. “The consolidation of office space for the three agencies is not only a tax savings, but creates central access to state government for citizens in the Douglasville area.”

The Douglasville Center is the first of its kind in Georgia, but state officials hope to expand the consolidated concept to other lease arrangements in the future. The Douglasville office is the latest in a series of facility-related cost saving efforts initiated by Governor Perdue. The state of Georgia has saved $7.7 million through renegotiated leases and has generated close to $20 million in proceeds from the sale of surplus real property. The state's first State Construction Manual is expected to reduce project costs by $12 - $20 million annually.

The city of Douglasville owns the facility being leased by DHR, DOC and the Parole Board. Along with Governor Perdue and the three agency heads, State Senator Bill Hamrick was present for the dedication ceremony.

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